


crystal clear

by panickygoblin



Category: Jem and the Holograms (Cartoon)
Genre: F/F, past kimber/stormer mentioned, theres a steamy kiss during the memory sequence, title is based on a song by hayley williams lol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:14:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26281741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/panickygoblin/pseuds/panickygoblin
Summary: Taking place around a month after "The Bands Break Up", Roxy and Stormer finally face their feelings for each other.
Relationships: Roxanne "Roxy" Pellegrini"/Mary "Stormer" Phillips
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	crystal clear

**Author's Note:**

> this took FOREVER to write. i started writing it in june and it was an absolute hassle to figure out how i wanted it to go. i really hope whoever reads this enjoys it because that makes all this effort worth it lol

It was a stormy afternoon in Los Angeles.

You'd just gotten out of a rehearsal with the other Misfits and, to your dismay, hadn't thought to bring an umbrella. You can't help but huff as you exit the recording studio, the harsh rain almost immediately soaking you when you begin your trek back to your apartment. The thought wasn't on your mind for too long, however.

It had been a month since Stormer reunited with you and the other Misfits. She'd still been pretty pissed at all three of you when she returned- rightfully so, you guess… It was about damn time she stood up for herself, though. The small part of you that wasn't ashamed of how you treated her was proud of her for finally _really_ telling you off. Even while it was happening, you knew it was wrong to treat poor Stormer the way you had. To belittle her music, to bribe her into coming back with gifts and money, all of it. But you'd been so desperate for her to be a Misfit again that you still went along with every shitty scheme Pizzazz came up with to get her back.

You couldn't speak for Jetta and Pizzazz, but you really meant it when you told Stormer that the band needed her. Deep down, though, you knew that- for the most part- it was more than just a band thing. You knew that she knew it too.

For the short period that Stormer had been back, she'd been hesitant to talk to you when it came to anything other than music. Granted, she was acting the same way towards the others, but that didn't make it feel any better. For the first time in a long, _long_ time, you felt like a major asshole for the way you'd acted. The least you could do was keep your word and listen to her, and that's exactly what you did.

Your thoughts are cut short at the sound of Stormer's voice behind you. You weren't far from the entrance to the parking lot when you heard it.

"Roxy, wait up!" You felt your heart leap in your chest before you quickly halted, turning around to see your blue haired bandmate jogging towards you, her purse bouncing around on her shoulder and her car keys jingling in her hand as she made her way over.

"...Hey, Storm.." You mutter as you turn to face her fully. She takes a brief moment to catch her breath and shield her eyes from the rain to look up at you better, adjusting and clearing her throat.

"I, uh," She begins, that hesitance in her voice again. "I was wondering if you'd like to hang out at my place.. We haven't hung out in a while and I don't want you to get sick.."

You pause, not entirely sure how to answer at first. Maybe this was her way of saying she wasn't mad anymore? Is she offering to hang out just to be nice? You knew she hadn't been far behind when you were leaving… It must've been a last minute decision for her to come running for you. You let out a small sigh, and shake your head.

"You don't have to let me come over, Mary, I know you're still pissed. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Before you can fully turn away, she grabs your arm and you jump at the suddenness of it. 

You furrow your eyebrows and turn to look at her again, part of you instinctively wanting to snap at her for grabbing you like that, when you see the look on her face. She's biting her bottom lip, a desperate look in her eyes.

"Roxy, please _._ We can't keep doing this. _Please_." Her expression is enough to make your heart hurt. You sigh again.

"Fine. Let's go." Once you say that, she let's go of your arm and nods, and you follow behind her as the two of you jog back to the parking lot.

Unsurprisingly, the car she was driving to and from work was her old beat up station wagon. The shiny red Porsche Pizzazz had bought her was nowhere in sight. Despite your curiosity, you decided it was best not to ask about it, instead getting in silently and quickly.

The car ride was quiet, mostly. There was awkward small talk at first, but it didn't take long for it to fizzle out. At one point Stormer tried turning on the radio and looking for a station with something good, but failed (She liked Jem and The Holograms' music- something she'd NEVER tell Pizzazz, though it was probably obvious now- but she knew you hated that generic pop crap).

She gave up and settled for the sound of the rain hitting the car, her full attention back on the road, and you stuck to resting your head on the window and watching your surroundings as the two of you drove through the city.

Before long, the two of you were pulling into the driveway of the nice two story house she owned. To your surprise, the Porsche occupied the space next to where Stormer parked. You stared at it as the both of you exited the station wagon.

"You still haven't gotten rid of this piece of junk?" You finally exclaim, turning to look at her. "If I were you I wouldn't be able to stand looking at it!" She pauses to stare at the thing, before smirking.

"Hah, and get stuck with this old thing?" Stormer says, gently slapping the roof of the station wagon. "I need _something_ to get around in when it finally dies on me, don't I? Thanks for the free car." She laughs.

You think it's the first time in months that you've heard Stormer laugh, and the sound of it makes your heart soar. You can't help but snort. "Yeah, don't sweat it." With that, the two of you head inside.

The contrast between the cold rain and the warmth of Stormer's house is enough to make you shudder. She'd made her way over to her sofa and tossed her purse down, turning to look back at you while you kicked your shoes off. "I'll see if I have something you can change into, okay? I'll be back, make yourself at home."

You grunt in acknowledgement, and she heads upstairs. Pulling off your jacket and setting it down on the coffee table, you look around the living room. 

Nothing had really changed since the last time you were here, save for a few decorations being rearranged. There were still mini piles of notebook paper scattered about the place, filled with song lyrics you obviously wouldn't bother trying to make out. Maybe you'd ask Stormer to read some of 'em to you later.

You pace around a bit while you wait, when a few picture frames on the wall catch your eye. They hadn't been there before.

You make your way over and the first one you see is a family photo, Stormer and her brother, Craig, with their parents. She couldn't have been older than fifteen in this picture, though not very much about her seemed to have changed since then if you were being honest. Nothing besides the color of her hair, really- the day you met her for the first time it was still the same dark brown it was in this photo, but she dyed it blue not too long after.

The picture gave you a bittersweet feeling. When Stormer was sixteen or so, she and her parents had gotten into a brutal car accident. She was the only one who made it out alive and it really messed her up- it was why she's so anxious.

The few times Pizzazz managed to pressure Stormer into drinking with the rest of you she'd always drag you off somewhere and cry about it once she drank enough, that's how you knew. Stormer didn't really like talking about it otherwise.

The next couple aren't anything too special. There was one of you, her and Pizzazz (no Jetta though, either she wasn't in the group yet and Clash took it or she had to have taken it herself, you couldn't tell) in a dressing room after a show, celebrating- you were surprised she kept this picture up considering everything that had happened the last few months. The other was of Stormer and Craig as young kids, much younger than in the first picture, running around in their backyard with the sprinkler on. That one made you chuckle.

The last one, however, left a sour taste in your mouth.

It was a picture of Stormer and that goody-good redhead. _Kimber Benton_ stared back at you with a sweet smile as jealousy bubbled up inside of you, and it took everything in you not to smash the thing right then and there.

You knew there had been something going on between her and Stormer. It was painfully obvious- the way Stormer talked about her the night you and the others confronted them, the way they looked at each other... That especially hurt you. Stormer looked at Kimber the way she used to look at you back before this whole thing started, while the two of you were still trying to figure out whatever the hell this relationship was supposed to be without the others finding out. That told you everything you needed to know and you felt nothing but raging envy towards Kimber. You didn't even know if they were still together, and it wouldn't surprise you if they were.

"I found some of my dad's old clothes, they might be a bit big on you but I don't think it'll matter much…"

Stormer's voice trails off behind you and you jump slightly, having not heard her come down the stairs. Your turn to look at your bandmate, who was holding some folded clothing in her hands. She'd changed, now wearing a pair of shorts and a Limp Lizards t-shirt, along with her glasses. She had a doleful look on her face when you looked at her, and you sighed.

"Thank you." You say quietly, making your way over and taking the clothes from her. She nods, her eyes looking down at the floor, and you make your way up to the guest room.

* * *

You brought your wet clothes down after you were done, taking them to the laundry room to throw into the dryer so you'd be able to change back into them when the rain subsided. Stormer showed you which buttons to press and, when that was done, you both headed for the kitchen.

"I made hot chocolate while you were upstairs." She says, nodding her head towards two coffee cups sitting on the counter before going over and taking one herself. "Yours has a bunch of marshmallows, just how you like it."

"Thanks." You lean against the counter and take the remaining mug, watching as she blows the rising steam from her cup before taking a small sip. "You're a real wuss, Mary," You tease, in an attempt to lighten the mood. "You don't need to blow on it, it ain't gonna kill you!"

She glares at you playfully, shaking her head. "You're insane, you'll put just about anything in your mouth won't you? I don't know how the hell you still have taste buds."

You had gone to take a big gulp from your cup- the burning sensation nearly caused you to spit the chocolatey liquid out, and you forced yourself to swallow. "Jesus-"

"What was that about not having to blow on it, Rox?"

"No fair, that's way hotter than you've made it before!" You cough, setting your mug down and hurrying to the freezer for an ice cube.

Stormer is giggling as she watches you pop the thing in your mouth to nurse your burnt tongue. "What? I can't change the temperature, goofball."

The two of you stand there laughing for a few moments, but it doesn't take long for an awkward silence to fill the room just like it had in the car. Your mind wanders while you sip your now cooled hot chocolate, and you can't help but think back to the picture of Stormer and Kimber. It takes you a few more minutes to find the courage to finally say something.

"So… You n' Kimber, huh?"

You see Stormer frown in your peripheral vision, looking down at her mug. "Roxy..."

"I'm not upset, Storm," You immediately say, looking up at her, wanting her to feel reassured. "I think… I think you two make a good couple. I can tell she treats you right."

She's silent for a second, giving you a sad smile when you say it, and you force yourself to look back down at the mug in your hands. You're a terrible liar when you're flustered.

"...We broke up."

You pause, and then look up at her again. "You what?"

"We broke up." She repeats, sipping from her mug before continuing. "We wanted different things. It was something we both agreed on. She still can't decide between Sean Harrison and that Jeff guy, and I don't wanna get thrown in the middle of that. Besides, I…"

She looks to the side, hesitating. You say nothing, wanting to give her a chance while butterflies are going crazy in your stomach.

"...I, I think part of me _did_ love Kimber but…" Stormer forces herself to look back up at you, chewing her bottom lip. "I think I was kinda only with her like that because I knew you'd get jealous. I guess I just wanted to get back at you for being so awful when Pizzazz and Jetta are around…" She sets her mug down, rubbing her reddening cheeks. You could tell she was embarrassed.

You aren't doing much better- you could feel your face getting hot as well and you look away from her with a forced sheepish chuckle.

"W-what's so funny?"

"Shit, Mary, you're the last person I'd expect to ever try n' make someone else jealous," You say, setting your mug down. "You really _are_ a Misfit, huh?"

She's quiet for a second before letting out a small laugh herself, "Yeah, I guess I am."

You feel her eyes on you again, and peek up at her. She's giving you that adoring look she would always give you before everything happened, and god _damn_ did you miss it. All you wanted to do was go up and kiss her right there.

Here the two of you were, yet again, treading on a line that neither one of you ever dared crossing- lest you felt Pizzazz's wrath over it.

She made it very clear from day one that inter-band relationships were a huge no-no. The risk of a breakup eventually causing the entire group to fall apart was too high, she claimed, and you suppose she had a point…

But you and Stormer had been thick as thieves for almost as long as the Misfits had been together. Yeah, sometimes you could be a real jerk to her- the past few months had made that especially evident- but a lot of the time it would really be the two of you against Pizzazz, Jetta and Eric. At least when you weren't coming up with the next scheme to try and upstage Jem and The Holograms, that is.

It seemed so obvious- Jetta _especially_ would always give you smug, knowing looks when you and Stormer stood a little too close to each other, or when she would hold your arm. You never could understand why it hadn't been so painfully obvious to Pizzazz too...

Before you really realize it you're making your way towards her- it's like Stormer's read your mind, she quickly puts her hands on your arms to stop you. You pause, seeing the worry in her face.

"R-Roxy," She begins, anxiety in her voice, her grip on you tightening, "Roxy, no, you know how Pizzazz feels about that…"

You frown. "Who said it was any of _Pizzazz's_ business?" Gently, you let your hands rest on Stormer's sides- you can't help but grin a little when she looks down to hide the blush in her cheeks. "Besides, you think she's gonna risk losing _both_ of us after the stunt you pulled?"

Stormer stutters a bit more, trying to find the right thing to say while avoiding eye contact. You can't blame her, really… You don't think either one of you ever thought that things would go _this_ far ever again- you'd only kissed her once before, the memory flooding your brain immediately.

It was about three years ago, a couple of months after Pizzazz had assimilated you into the Misfits. She was God knows where while you and Stormer had decided to mess around in the studio at her house (She'd moved her things into her parents' bedroom and converted her old room into a makeshift recording studio, it was quite impressive). The two of you had already clicked by then, and the attraction had _definitely_ been at its most obvious.

The two of you had been messing around with some lyrics she'd come up with for a while- an early version of _Takin' It All_ , you think- when eventually you needed a break. You can't recall how the conversation came about, only that you were bringing over the snacks and drinks she'd bought when she said the first thing you remember.

"Yeah, I kind of… I kind of never been kissed before, I guess. _God,_ I don't think Pizzazz would ever let me hear the end of it if she knew."

You sat back down next to her on the sofa, two cans of root beer in your hands as you looked at her, perplexed. She was the prettiest woman you'd ever met in your life, how could anyone _not_ wanna kiss her?!

"Seriously? Never?" You asked, handing her one of the cans before attempting to open your own. "You're a good lookin' girl, Stormer, are you telling me you've never even had a boyfriend?"

The compliment makes her face flush a little and she looks away with a sheepish smile, moving her then-brunette bangs out of her face. "Nope! Unless you count elementary school boyfriends that only ever lasted a week at _most._ " The both of you snicker at that.

"What about _you_ , Roxy?" She asks, taking a sip from her root beer. "Have you been seeing anybody?"

You rub the back of your neck. "I, uh, I don't usually do the whole dating thing. I've been with a few girls, though."

"A few, huh? You must be a _real_ good kisser, then."

You didn't expect her to be this flirtatious… You nibble your lip and look away, Pizzazz's threats of being kicked from the group if any of her rules were broken crossing your mind briefly- though they're quickly overshadowed by another thought, and before you realize it, that thought comes right out of your mouth.

"I could show you."

Stormer's face gets redder when you suggest it, her eyes widening in flustered surprise. You feel your own cheeks flush with embarrassment and you look away, quickly trying to come up with a way to say you were joking when you feel her crawling up towards you.

Before you can react, Stormer gently cups your cheeks into her hands, turning you back to her and pressing her lips against yours, a bit rougher than you would've anticipated. You tense up, shocked- you didn't think an anxious stickler like Stormer would do something so bold, so _impulsive…_ But, after a moment, you ease into the kiss. You hadn't even noticed that you dropped the can of root beer in your hand onto the carpet.

As the two of you relax, Stormer eases up and you start to notice how soft her lips are- her hands too. You lower your own hands onto her shoulders, letting them slide down her back and onto her waist. You pull her in more and she moves her arms so they're wrapped around your neck. The way she's kissing you makes you feel a tingling sensation in the pit of your stomach and you can't help but think about how nice she feels… The feeling doesn't last long.

The sound of the front door swinging open causes Stormer to jump, pulling her face away from yours. A familiar loud voice booms from the living room.

"Stormer? Roxy?? Where are you two?! I wanna see that new song you told me about!" Pizzazz calls out, enthusiastic as ever. The color drains from Stormer's face when she hears it.

"Crap," She whispers, before pulling away from you completely and calling back out while rubbing imaginary evidence from her mouth. "We're in the studio!"

You say nothing as Pizzazz comes bursting in, instead trying to act as natural as possible while you lean down and pick up your spilled root beer. All you can think of is how thankful you are that neither of you were wearing lipstick.

She's silent for a moment, looking at the two of you with an amused grin. "The hell is the matter with you?? You both look like you've seen a ghost."

"N-nothing, you just scared us," Stormer stutters, a hint of irritation in her voice. "You know, it wouldn't kill you to _knock_."

Pizzazz rolls her eyes, plopping down onto the couch in between you and Stormer. "Maybe _you_ should lock the door next time! I could've been anyone, you know! Now, where's that song?"

That memory never left you, not a single detail. You'd never felt the way Stormer made you feel when she kissed you that day, before or since, and you'd do absolutely _anything_ to feel it again.

Screw it, you think suddenly. You weren't gonna let anyone get in the way of you being with Stormer, not Pizzazz, not Kimber Benton, nobody. Not anymore.

"Stormer, I..." You begin, wanting to pick your words very carefully. "I know Pizzazz can be an ass, and I know you're scared of what will happen, but I'm tired of hiding this from everyone when it's so obvious." Your voice shakes ever so slightly as you say it, but you mostly hold your firm tone. "I love you, and I wanna _really_ be with you. Whether Pizzazz likes it or not."

Stormer's staring up at you, fear in those big blue eyes. "But… But if she finds out she'll be really mad…"

You roll your eyes. "You know she'll get over it. She's got other things to worry about, and she needs to understand that our personal lives have nothing to do with the band. I'm not gonna wait for her to come around anymore."

Stormer's face relaxes just a bit, like she's thinking. You braced yourself, hoping, _praying_ to any god you could think of that she wouldn't reject you. You didn't know if you could handle it, not after everything.

"...Alright. Alright, Roxy, we… We can try." She says, finally smiling up at you. You can see tears pricking at her eyes. 

Letting out a relieved sigh, you relax your shoulders and close your eyes. "Thank you… Thank you."

Gently, she cups your cheeks into her hands and stands up straighter, pressing her lips against your own. You tense up for a split second, before quickly relaxing and kissing her back. The kiss felt so nice, just like it had all that time ago, and god _damn_ did you miss it.

You open your eyes again when she pulls away, and she moves her glasses to wipe her eyes before sniffling and looking back up at you.

“Are… Are we gonna tell her?” She asks.

“Not yet, if you don’t want to,“ You say, rubbing her back. “I’d like to soon, though.”

“Alright… Okay.” Stormer nods her head, before giving you another peck, this time on the cheek. “I love you, Roxy. I love you so much.”

Stormer’s words hit you harder than you ever thought they would. You have to hold your tongue to the roof of your mouth for a moment to keep from getting teary-eyed yourself. “Hah… I love you too, Mary.”

Despite not admitting it, you couldn’t help feeling afraid too- not of what Pizzazz thought of your relationship, no, you never gave a shit what Pizzazz thought and that wasn’t gonna change. But you’d never been in a real relationship before now, and after these last few months you really didn’t wanna screw things up with Stormer again.

Things are finally starting to go right, and from this day forth, you’re gonna do whatever it takes to make this work.


End file.
